Snap-hook



(No Model.)

S. G. HIGHFILL.

SNAP HOOK.

Patented Sept. I Z, 1884.

J pyaroa WITNESSES ATTORNEY N. pcvzns vnbm-un ra m. Wasllinglo. o.c.

and useful Improvements in Snap-Hooks, of

' ings, in which- QN'ITED STATES Fries.

PATENT SNAP-HOOK.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 304,321, dated September 2, 1884.

Application filed December 31, 1883. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, SAMUEL G. HIGHFILL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Leavenworth, in the county of Crawford and 1 State of Indiana, have invented certain new which the following is a specification, refer- I ence being had therein to the accompanying f drawings.

My invention relates to snap hooks for harness, &c., and has for its object the production of a simple but effective hook that is readily and cheaply made.

To this end the invention consists in a shank or stem of metal, terminating at one end in a ring and at the other in aloop, the shank having a recess and slot to receive a spring, which acts as the snap to retain the hook in place.

The general details of construction and arrangement of the several part-s will be herein-' after more fully set forth in the specification and pointed out in the accompanying draw- Figure 1 is a perspective view of my improved snap-hook; Fig. 2, a longitudinal sec- 1 tion of same, and Fig. 3 a detail perspective View of the spring.

In the various snap-hooks in general use the spring is riveted or pivoted to the shank. Sometimesthe snap consists of a rigid piece pivoted to the shank, and actuated by a coiled or other spring placed below the snap. The only objection that has been urged against snap-hooks is that when the spring wears out or loses its resiliency or breaks, then the hook is worthless and must be replaced. These obj ections I remedy in the following manner, (reference being had to the accompanying drawingsz) I make the shank A, ring A, and loop D of one piece of metal. I may, however, make simply the shank and ring of one piece, and attach the loop D by journaling it in the end of the shank. The shank has alongitudinal slot, b, in its upper surface, terminating at the ring end in a recess, 1), and at the loop end in a curved slot, (1, which passes through the shank. The snap consists of a straight spring-bar, B, having a projection, b, at one end. The spring-bar is slipped into the curved slot cl, and then drawn forward until the pro- 5 the recess 1/.

jectionb comes in contact with the shoulder If. It is then over the recess 1). It will be observed that the upper surface of the spring end [1 is in contact with the end a of the ring, the opposite end of the snap -spring being curved or bent, to adapt itself to the curved slot d. When the spring-bar B is depressed, it enters the slot b the projection 12 entering The depth of the slot b and re-. cess b is, as a rule, equal to the thickness of spring-bar B and the length of projection b, so that when the spring-bar is depressed it just fills the spaces 1) b just mentioned. It will thus be seen that not only can the snap-hook be readily snapped into a ring orloop, but

when it is to be removed there is no ment to such removalf I The body ofthe hook,being of cast or Wrought metal, will last for years, and as the spring-bar is separate and distinct from said body it can be readily replaced and inserted, because there is no soldering or riveting required.

The spring-bars B, while they form an integral element of the snap-hook in use, may be (and generally will be, one or more) sold separately from the body of the hook, so that if a spring is broken or becomes worthless by use a new spring can be substituted without detaching the hook from the harness. This seems to be a valuable consideration with personssuch as farmersremote from harnessmakers and dealers in buckles.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is The snaphook herein described, comprising the shank A, having hook A and loop D at opposite, ends, and provided with a longitudinal groove, 12*, recess b, and oblique slot d, formed of a single piece, in combination with the spring B, adapted to be inserted in the slot d, and having its opposite end bent down to enter the recess 12 when the spring is flexed, substantially as described. J

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

SAMUEL G. HIGHFILL.

impedi- WVitnesses:

DUNBAR PATRICK, J. B. PANKEY. 

